“No way!” Beth exclaimed, finally shoving her phone back into her pocket to give Charlotte her full attention. “Really? Let me see.”
I froze, my entire body stiffening. She couldn’t have meant Zane. That was insane. It just wasn’t possible. Laughter bubbled out of my mouth before I could stop it. I bent over at the waist, slapping my knee like that was the funniest joke I’d ever heard.
“You guys almost had me going. You’re good.” I pushed past them and went to my locker. It wasn’t much further down the hall. The bold green locker door swung open before my friends could surround me again.
“Lexi, I’m not joking.” Charlotte crossed her arms, hurt entering her eyes. “This isn’t a prank. It’s on the RockValleyBiz Instagram account. It’s legit.”
RockValleyBiz was the notorious gossip site of Rock Valley High. No one knew who ran it, but I suspected a few of the most popular girls in my class had their hands in it. I’d seen them whispering over the posts at parties, but hadn’t been able to fully infiltrate their circle.
Yet.
I was working on it.
“Let me see that.” Beth grabbed Charlotte’s phone and her gaze darted over the screen as if she were reading a major newscast. Her eyes grew wider the further she read, until finally, bright red spots appeared on her cheeks. “It’s true, Lex. Take a look.”
“Yeah, yeah, okay.” I quirked an eyebrow and took the phone delicately from Beth’s hand.
Now, they were all in on the joke. If that was how they wanted to play it, I’d give in and let them have their laugh. Zane wasn’t some famous actor. Famous actors didn’t hide in the shadows at parties. His dad worked on the film, just like mine.
Except, when I finally looked down at my phone, there was a picture of Zane. And it wasn’t from the party. It was him, looking absolutely dashing in a sleek black suit with a white t-shirt underneath. He had his arm draped over a gorgeous girl with jet black hair. And they stood in front of a white screen, as if they were attending a red carpet event.
“What the...?” I scrolled down to the description as fast as I could and read aloud. “Are up-and-coming Hollywood royalty expected at Rock Valley High? With the new shoot for Kicked starting soon, keep your eyes peeled for the star, Zane Rees. Zane is the son of the famous actress Maria Irving and it looks like he’s got acting chops of his own. Does any girl have a chance of pinning this bachelor down? Doesn’t seem likely with all the broken hearts left in his wake.”
My hand shook as I scrolled back up and stared at his photo. Sirens went off inside my head. It wasn’t a joke. Not even close.
That was what I got for not cyber-stalking a boy. Of course, he was the son of a movie star. And well on his way to becoming his own star. A guy didn’t have the right to be that gorgeous without being in the same line of business as Brad Pitt and K.J. Apa. The masterful curve of his jawline should’ve clued me in. Or the way he acted when I didn’t react to his name.
He’d left some very specific information out of his introduction...
“I’m guessing he didn’t mention anything about it.” Charlotte gently took the phone from my hand and tucked it in her pocket. She and Beth were both watching me carefully. Hunter must’ve smelled the girl drama in the air and booked it for his own locker down the hall. Smart man.
“Do you really think I’d be able to keep something like that a secret?”
My gaze darted between their stricken faces. They both shook their heads, not a moment of hesitation between them. Everyone knew I was horrible at keeping secrets. This would’ve been impossible to keep on the down low.
“Maybe he didn’t tell you because he didn’t want that to influence you.” Beth took her massive purple Bose headphones from a pocket in her backpack and strung them around her neck with a shrug. “It can’t be easy, with girls falling at your feet all the time.”
I closed my locker door with a sour expression. “Yeah, right.”
No guy I’d ever met had a problem with girls falling at their feet. Most of them would’ve taken advantage of it. But then again, Zane was unlike any other guy I’d met in my life. Maybe he was different. And maybe, he deserved the benefit of the doubt.
“You know what, no. I’m sure you’re right.” I set my jaw and gave them both a steady look. They were still watching me with puppy dog eyes, as if they were afraid I was going to burst into tears or have a massive melt-down at any minute. But that wasn’t me. “I’ll just go on set today and after I secure my job on the makeup crew, I’ll find Zane and let him explain.”
“Exactly.” Relief washed over Charlotte’s face. She looped her arm around mine and Beth’s and pulled us toward English Lit. “And until then, you can tell us again just what it was like kissing a movie star.”
I laughed. “Haven’t you ever heard the phrase don’t kiss and tell?”
She brushed me off with a shake of her head. “That doesn’t apply to girls. Spill, woman, or I might just have to ban you from using my Lit notes this year. I need the deets.”
Outwardly, I laughed, but inwardly my gut twisted. Any girl would’ve rejoiced at the experience of kissing a movie star in the rain. It was romantic. It was the perfect meet-cute. But this was real life and real life had complications.
The image of Zane’s dad came to mind, as he stood in that doorway looking very much like one of those meathead club bouncers I saw on TV shows. And now, with the realization that Zane was so much more than he let on...it was starting to feel complicated.
And I was pretty sure I hated complications. After a terrible two years which included my parents’ awful divorce and my father’s remarriage, simple seemed the better way to go. It was the way I’d kept all of my relationships up until now.
Of all the things Zane had neglected to tell me since we’d met, he was truthful about one fact: things had changed the moment I got to school. But that didn’t make me any less anxious to see those blue eyes again. Or, to feel the electrifying sensation of his lips brushing up against mine.
Maybe complicated wouldn’t be so bad...
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About the Author
Lacy Andersen is the author of several series, including the Billionaire Matchmaker, the Monstrana Paranormal Romances, Faking Ever After, and the Dark Angel Wars. When not writing or dreaming up stories to tell, Lacy is busy running after her kiddos, watching Netflix with her husband, or reading the latest releases. She has a serious addiction to cotton candy, loves to compete in any type of game, and is currently planning her next trip around the world.
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Dare You to Resist the Bull Rider (Rock Valley High Book 4) Page 21
